Zuri Berry

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Bad no-call sours Super Bowl loss for 49ers

The infamous play; Fourth and goal from the Ravens' 5-yard line. Michael Crabtree was held by Jimmy Smith, essentially ending the game on a non-call.

The infamous play; Fourth and goal from the Raven’ 5-yard line. Michael Crabtree was held by Jimmy Smith, essentially ending the game on a non-call.

I never would have thought we would be talking about a non-call in the Super Bowl again. At least not so soon.

But in a season that began with replacement referees and ended on 4th and 5 hold — and yes, it was a hold — one has to seriously be concerned with the state of officiating.

The San Francisco 49ers fanbase was sent into a tail spin after the impediment of Michael Crabtree’s possible game-winning touchdown went uncalled. It was one in a series of bad no-calls in Super Bowl XLVII.

There’s this whole thing about the genie in the bottle when it comes to losses after the fact, but there is also a cold, hard truth here: The 49ers didn’t deserve to win. The Baltimore Ravens, finishing on top 34-31, took the game from San Francisco in the first quarter and were on the verge of giving the ball game up before getting a little help. But make no mistake about it, the Ravens played for 60 minutes, something the 49ers failed to do. And when the game was on the line, and the comeback was in its full throes, the Ravens got one in a series of bad calls to go their way. It doesn’t make the call right, but it was equally distributed between the two teams.

Just plays earlier, 49ers left guard Mike Iupati had gotten away with a holding call. Tis the way of the world it seems.

In Super Bowl XLIII (2008 season), the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 with a little help from the officials, too. Here’s what I wrote up about the calls in that game:

Exhibit A – there was a clear and obvious block in the back on James Harrison’s length-of-the-field touchdown return. There’s seven points off the board.

Exhibit B – an awful roughing the passer call that gave the Steelers a first down and eventually led to a field goal. That would’ve been a bad call in a regular season game, but was truly terrible in the Super Bowl.

Exhibit C – same drive, roughing the field goal holder??? I’m not quite sure when that became a penalty. It sounds vaguely familiar, but that can’t be in keeping with the spirit of the rule, can it? He hardly roughed him up.

Exhibit D – the first Kurt Warner fumble that was overturned after a review. They got the call right, but it was so obvious that the Cardinals shouldn’t have had to waste a challenge on it.

Every one of those bother me, but I’m able to look past them. However, to not review a questionable fumble call, with seconds remaining in the game — the game being the freaking Super Bowl — is inexcusable. Initially I thought it was a fumble, and I understood the call. But the replay looked different. I thought the ball may have still been in his hand and that there was a real good chance that the call could be overturned. Needless to say, I was pretty surprised when they didn’t bother to look at it.

In Super Bowl XLVII, we’ll be talking about Jimmy Smith’s hold/non-hold on that 4th-and-goal, Chris Culliver’s pass interference, the no-call pass interference on Corey Graham on 2nd-and-goal with the ball game on the line, and the no-call offensive pass interference on Torrey Smith that could have resulted in a Culliver interception.

That’s a lot of plays to consider that are questionable. It’s magnified when more than 100 million people are watching. And outside of Baltimore, fans of the game continue to have their faith shaken that the league will not do the right thing when it comes to perceived injustices. The last thing the NFL wants to discuss is its poor officiating.

But when I awoke up this morning, after having digested the game and re-watched the pivotal highlights (again and again), I find myself equally disgusted with the 49ers’ lack of urgency in the first half. On 3rd and 15, their first offensive series, they elect to run a draw with Frank Gore for 3 yards. That was conservative play-calling at its worst. In the second quarter, facing a 3rd-and-10 at their own 6-yard line, the 49ers went back to gore for a 6-yard run. Again, conservative play-calling at its worst. No need to remind the Red and Gold that this is the Super Bowl. Mr. Hindsight is a great teacher.

Add in two pivotal turnovers by rookie running back LaMichael James and second-year QB Colin Kaepernick (his 10th start) and then throw in a special teams touchdown by the Ravens’ Jacoby Jones, a 108-yard kickoff return, and you have the recipe for a super loss already.

But even then, after coming back from a 28-6 deficit, the 49ers found themselves with a possible game-winning drive on their hands, 1st-and-goal at the Ravens’ 7-yard line. They proceed to give James the ball (he should’ve been benched), and throw three straight passes to Crabtree at the right pylons that made no sense whatsoever.

No read option. No quarterback scramble. No targets for Vernon Davis. No touches for Gore. No sense of balance in play-calling.

It was atrocious coaching, punctuated by a gut-wrenching fourth down play that had slim hope for success. There was no pickup on the blitz, no 49ers receiver working the middle of the field, and no separation for the target.

The non-call didn’t give the Ravens the victory. It was just the final dagger. It sours the loss, sure, but it was the Ravens’ game to lose. No reason to be mad because they got help on one play. The 49ers gave Baltimore plenty of help on their own.

by  /  February 4, 2013  /  Posted in: Football
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Top 10 Super Bowl prop bets – Football – Boston.com

Top 10 Super Bowl prop bets – Football – Boston.com.

Betting is a huge part of sporting events and there’s nothing like it when it comes to the Super Bowl.

For Super Bowl XLVII, there are numerous proposition bets, also known as prop bets, that can spice up the betting climate with wagers that have little to do with the play on the field, draw upon historical games, and cross sport and pop culture barriers.

See the top 10 prop bets I found on Boston.com.

by  /  February 2, 2013  /  Posted in: Football
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What was that about trading for DeMarcus Cousins?

The Sacramento Kings took a 99-81 beating against the Boston Celtics Wednesday night. It was punctuated by the Celtics’ unselfish play with six players finishing in double figures.

But my eyes were drawn to DeMarcus Cousins, the edgy center for the Kings and the rumor of many a trade bait despite many a denial by the Kings. Of all teams, the Celtics were linked to Cousins’ trade rumors incessantly, all the way up until the point Rajon Rondo was injured. Granted, these were rumors and demands fueled by fans, but they were so pervasive it became a part of the national basketball conversation. So it was fitting to see Cousins in person at the Garden (a chance to watch on TV for me) and evaluate how he’s changed over his tumultuous two years in the league.

Let’s just say there was nothing new to see.

Despite an impressionable stat sheet (17.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg) coming into Wednesday’s game, he tallied a lethargic 13 and 6 against the Celtics. At one point, it looked like Cousins was openly pouting on the court. His body language was terrible.

It’s self-evident that Cousins is a remarkably talented player and likely has a bright future in the league, given the right amount of growth. But you see the emotional baggage he carries on the court right now. The immaturity. The lack of focus.

And there are actually Celtics fans that want to see him play with KG? Please. Not only will it not happen, it shouldn’t. The Celtics rejected the same kind of player and adult project when they dropped Glen “Big Baby” Davis. There’s no need to go down that path again. Not now.

by  /  January 30, 2013  /  Posted in: Basketball
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Super Bowl prediction

I'd take Jim Harbaugh over John Harbaugh six days of the week.

I’d take Jim Harbaugh over John Harbaugh six days of the week.

The universe became a little more screwy when little brother Harbaugh opened up as a favorite. It’s like we all have been transported into the Gronkowski household.

Jim Harbaugh, little brother to John Harbaugh, leads the San Francisco 49ers into Super Bowl XLVII as 4-point favorites against big brother John’s Baltimore Ravens. We all get to witness the Brothers Harbaugh out grimace each other on the sideline as the 49ers and Ravens play out a title game that will be 10 times more about each team’s defense than about the guy who is under center. Or wearing a headset.

It’s the smash mouth defense of the twenty-teens, versus the old(er) smash mouth defense of the two thousands. It’ll be peachy.

I’m 8-2 in the playoffs against the line and straight up. But neither of my Super Bowl picks are still playing. Sadly, the Patriots and Seahawks have more time to enjoy Mardi Gras and warm weather than prepare for a championship. So with one more pick to make, a year in which I went 169-83-1 during the regular season and picked the 49ers to win in 17 of their 18 contests, I have to go with little brother Jim and his 49ers once again.

Why? Simply put, the 49ers are loaded. From a deep and dependable offensive line, a secondary that is arguably tops in the NFL (despite a porous playoff stretch), and a linebacker corps that is second to none. Then add in an offense that is hitting its stride at the right time, quarterbacked by the speedy and hard-throwing Colin Kaepernick, and position players that are top notch throughout. The Ravens don’t compare in that regard.

This is the 11th ranked offense versus the 16th ranked offense. The 3rd ranked defense versus the 17th ranked defense. The 4th best rushing team versus the 11th best rushing team. Only in the passing game do the Ravens take an edge. And even there, the pendulum could swing in the 49ers’ favor with Kaepernick at quarterback. We don’t know what kind of performance we’ll get.

The X-factor here is whether or not the 49ers will show the same inconsistency they’ve shown in the past month. In Week 15, they went on a tear to beat the New England Patriots. The next week, they were in the dumps after getting blown out by the Seattle Seahawks. In each of their two playoff games, they allowed early leads against the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons, the latter of which went up 17-0 before they woke up.

That’s where this game is dangerous, where expectations and numbers and matchups don’t relate to the stun of the bright lights and the inspiration as well as emotive draw that takes place with more than 100 million people watching. That’s a place where the Ravens thrive, both as underdogs and as veterans of big games that have a new-found rallying cry in the soon-to-be retirement of Ray Lewis.

This is going to be close, but I don’t think it’s going to be as close as Baltimore (and maybe Patriots fans) want it to be.

The key matchup will be how the 49ers handle the Ravens’ passing game, orchestrated by the deft Joe Flacco. Torrey Smith is a deep threat and combined with Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta, the Ravens have a layered passing attack that requires attention up and down the field. Nickel corner Carlos Rodgers has to be solid against Boldin while he’s in the slot and you’ll likely see 49ers LB Patrick Willis bodied up against Pitta at times while he keeps an eye on fullback Vonta Leach coming out of the backfield. Who wins in these one-on-one matchups should very well determine the dynamic and outcome of the game. I happen to think the 49ers are favored here.

Straight up winner: 49ers
Against the spread: 49ers
Prediction: 49ers 35, Ravens 27

by  /  January 29, 2013  /  Posted in: Football
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No discernible centerpiece in Orlando

Just watched the Orlando Magic get blown out by the Brooklyn Nets, 97-77, and the obvious issue with the other Florida team still has Dwight Howard’s fingerprints.

There is no discernible centerpiece for the Magic’s offense. Glen “Big Baby” Davis is not the man. Neither is J.J. Reddick. Nor do I suspect swingman Arron Affalo (knee) is the answer. More or less, the Magic just dish it around and hope that somebody catches fire. As we’ve come to know in the past 20 years … check that, forever … no successful basketball club lacks a primary scorer, much like the Magic have no primary scorer. For a team built for Howard — yes, they’re still built for an in-and-out offense that is dependent on a low-post threat — the Magic are struggling to find an identity without the not-so new Laker on offense. They’re through 44 games now and are a dismal 14-30. Oh, and they’ve lost six straight.

by  /  January 28, 2013  /  Posted in: Basketball
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Kobe the distributor?

Two games in a row Kobe Bryant has 14 assists. It’s the common thread for the Lakers on their newly minted 2-game winning streak.

The Lakers finished off the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday with a 105-96 win. Sure, Kobe was taking the big shots down the stretch as any scorer should, but he made another concerted effort to include his teammates in the win. He finished with 21 points, 14 assists, and nine rebounds, just shy of a triple double.

I’ve long wondered whether the Lakers’ problems were something you could pin on the Black Mamba as well. He took too many shots for my liking and forced too many plays. But people continually complained about Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol, as if they encompass the play of the entire team.

In the last two games, this Black Mamba has been getting Steve Nash going, he’s dropping the ball off for his starved big men Dwight and Pau. He’s dishing back to Chris Duhon and finding the cutting Earl Clark. He’s involving everyone.

The Lakers look good with Kobe dishing the ball. And he’s still Kobe, he’s still a threat.

I don’t want to predict what the Lakers will do going forward, but I think they should really look at what he’s done in these two past game and give him a big hint. Lord knows the Lakers organization can’t tell him what to do.

by  /  January 27, 2013  /  Posted in: Basketball
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Ray Allen is cold-blooded

I kept poring over this during the Celtics’ 100-98 double overtime win over the Miami Heat Sunday. Ray Allen, a consummate professional, is now a despised character in Boston. He’s referred to as “Judas Shuttlesworth.” He’s booed as quickly as he’s applauded. And through it all, he still knocks down big shots against the Celtics.

In the season opener Oct. 30, he put up 19 points in a Miami win. Coming off the bench Sunday — and playing significant minutes through the fourth quarter and both overtimes — Allen added 21 points in a losing effort. But he had at least one big 3-pointer to draw the Heat within a point with less than a minute left in regulation.

There’s a reason why Allen thrived in an environment like Boston and with a teammate like Kevin Garnett: He thrives off both the positive and negative energy. It doesn’t make a difference to him whether you hate him or love him, he’s knocking down shots. And that makes him one cold-blooded dude.

by  /  January 27, 2013  /  Posted in: Basketball
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What to do, what to do

This is the tough part of the year when this blog gets pretty inactive. Football is over and there is no longer a sense of schedule and rhythm to hold myself to every week.

Instead, I try to latch onto whatever national news there is, journalism topic of interest, or cultural snafu worth whining about. But that’s never come with regularity for me, hence the trepidation about what to do this winter and spring.

I feel like this is a great time to start writing about basketball again. Basketball is an early love of mine. Second to baseball and before football, I spent many an hour studying the game and playing it. One could argue I’ve written some of my best work snooping around the hardwood. It comes natural for me.

On the other hand, I know the danger of starting something and not being able to finish. And when I write finish, I mean continue the activity with consistency and timeliness until it’s done. There’s only so much time in the day and only so much I can do without taking away from my work. Paychecks come first.

Then there’s the prospect of a new baseball season starting. In my dreams, I’d follow a team throughout the year and write a recap for all 162 games. It’s something I’ve never been able to follow through on but I’ve been dying to do since 1995 when I caught every single San Francisco Giants game. (Caught my most SF Giants games since leaving California last season en route to their World Series win. How many? About 40. Ha. Thanks At-bat.)

Between basketball and baseball, I’m sure my attention won’t waver. But I’m not so sure my will to write will be as strong, particularly with the many commitments I have as my schedule changes. That’s something that won’t go away. When the seasons change, so do my time and ability to do different things. Certainly not extended essays or commentary. That is the definition of impossible for me. And the time it takes to do full-blown newspaper commentary right is out of the question.

So what then? What to do, what to do?

Thinking out loud here (which is what you should be prepared for because you’re on my site), this is a great opportunity to introduce a new series in this space: One thought.

For every game I watch, regardless of sport, I’m going to offer one thought, or takeaway, on what’s occurred. I can only imagine what my dominating thoughts are for the Celtics. Whether that be Kevin Garnett acting unruly again or Doc Rivers’ rotation choices (a large source of my ire).

The idea here is that my one thought should take no less than a few paragraphs. But it can be longer. It can also be very short. Even one sentence — or tweet. It can also be sporadic. It most definitely can be bigger than pro basketball and baseball. It could even be high schools related.

Whatever it is, I think you’ll get an idea of how many games I actually watch and attend in a year’s time. It’s something that needs to be represented here and hopefully you’ll enjoy these short bites while I wait until the football season begins again. Of course, I still have thoughts on Super Bowl XLVII to come, including my pick. So there’s that. But at least now I can say there’s more to come. In fact, expect my first thought really soon.

by  /  January 27, 2013  /  Posted in: Personal
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5 takeaways from the Patriots-Ravens, AFC championship

Tom Brady made a couple of bad decisions in Sunday's AFC Championship game. (Jim Davis / For the Boston Globe)

Tom Brady made a couple of bad decisions in Sunday’s AFC Championship game. (Jim Davis / For the Boston Globe)

FOXBOROUGH — The Patriots were beaten handily by the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, losing, 28-13, in the AFC Championship game. But one could still argue that the game would have turned out dramatically different had the home team capitalized on some key plays and executed better down the stretch.

There were numerous plays left on the field. There’s no going back now, but let’s highlight a few things that went wrong in this week’s takeaways.

1. Time management was an issue — Tom Brady and Bill Belichick did their best to deflect the issue, but they had a problem toward the end of the first half managing the clock and burned all three timeouts at the end of the game, much too soon for any comeback effort. But the events at the end of the first half were particularly troubling. The Patriots were driving down the field, only 10 yards away from the end zone, with 26 seconds left. Brady couldn’t find a receiver, so he scrambled for 3 yards and then tried to gather his teammates to attempt another play before realizing too much time had passed. He had to use the Patriots’ final timeout of the half with only four seconds on the clock. Either Belichick or Brady should have immediately called a timeout after the play to preserve an opportunity to take a shot at the end zone. With only four seconds on the clock, they were forced to take the field goal. A touchdown would’ve changed the dynamic of the game and given the Patriots more confidence going into the second half.

2. Wes Welker’s drop deflated a perfectly good drive — The second half wasn’t kind to the Patriots. They were outscored, 21-0, a remarkable display given the team’s standing as the top offense in the league. Drive after drive, the Patriots were stumped by their own ineptitude. In the third quarter, they had a particularly good stretch that was mucked up by an all-too familiar episode of Welker’s dropsies. (Forgive him, he was getting knocked around pretty good out there.) The Patriots had drove 57 yards to the Baltimore 34 and were facing third and 8 when Brady threw a pass that hit Welker in the hands and face mask. It would’ve given the Patriots a first down and possibly the opportunity to extend their lead. Instead, because of the fourth down and the windy conditions, they elected to punt. Which brings me to my next takeaway.

To see all of my takeaways, view the original post on Boston.com’s Extra Points.

by  /  January 23, 2013  /  Posted in: Football
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Trying to prepare myself

So I’m out on a limb saying the Patriots are going to beat the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC championship and will advance to Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. I’m not just saying this flippantly. I’ve went out and purchased my tickets to New Orleans and now I’m trying to prepare myself for the inevitable breaking news/multimedia moment during Super Bowl week.

Last year, I was dependent on my iPhone (which held up for the most part) in Indianapolis for the Super Bowl. But I dreaded lugging around my MacBook, at almost 8 pounds, which is what I used to do the brunt of my work. This year, if the Patriots win, I’m traveling lighter with my iPad. I just bought a new Bluetooth enabled keyboard to go along with it, so I’ll be able to type normally and with the same speed I’m accustomed to doing.

I still have worries though. For one, my iPad is a wifi only tablet, meaning if there isn’t any wifi, it isn’t worth the trouble of lugging around. Similarly, my iPhone 4S has terrible battery life. And it sucks typing on it, too. However, between the two I figure I can be as mobile as possible. I’ve discovered that my phone also can link with the Bluetooth keyboard and in doing so keeps me online at all times — so long as I have battery life.

Thank God I keep a charger close by.

All of this yammering will be worth it if the Patriots win. Then I’ll be able to test everything. For some reason, that makes me excited. And that’s how you know I’m a nerd.

by  /  January 19, 2013  /  Posted in: Football, Media, Web 2.0
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The opinions of Zuri Berry do not necessarily relay those of his employer or the people he covers. Contact him via e-mail at zuri@zuriberry.com.